Do you simulate pray in a group setting? - Atheist Nexus2015-03-04T00:58:40Zhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/forum/topics/do-you-simulate-pray-in-a-group-setting?commentId=2182797%3AComment%3A2144497&xg_source=activity&feed=yes&xn_auth=noGood Q about why are they hav…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-16:2182797:Comment:21448222013-01-16T00:20:42.348ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>Good Q about why are they having prayer at work. I think that's a path to discrimination and potential harassment.</p>
<p>Good Q about why are they having prayer at work. I think that's a path to discrimination and potential harassment.</p> I"ve done that too.tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-16:2182797:Comment:21448202013-01-16T00:19:48.588ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>I"ve done that too.</p>
<p>I"ve done that too.</p> this is what i do too. not m…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-16:2182797:Comment:21446942013-01-16T00:19:28.565ZDaniel Whttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>this is what i do too. not much opportunity for me either, due to almost no existing family.</p>
<p>this is what i do too. not much opportunity for me either, due to almost no existing family.</p> It seemed to me that religion…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-15:2182797:Comment:21447302013-01-15T23:29:33.358ZLuarahttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Luara
<p>It seemed to me that religion was tinselly by comparison, with the bad smell of craziness. </p>
<p>As Yeats wrote, "Love has pitched his mansion in the place of excrement, for nothing can be sole or whole that has not been rent"</p>
<p>Of course the experience had its warts too ...</p>
<p>It seemed to me that religion was tinselly by comparison, with the bad smell of craziness. </p>
<p>As Yeats wrote, "Love has pitched his mansion in the place of excrement, for nothing can be sole or whole that has not been rent"</p>
<p>Of course the experience had its warts too ...</p> If I was a monotheist, an I k…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-15:2182797:Comment:21446822013-01-15T22:59:25.468ZTimhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Tim347
If I was a monotheist, an I knew you were an Atheist. Isn't it obvious that I know when I pray you are not going too? Do you feel I have the right to be offended because I asked others to pray an you choose to read the newspaper? knowing fully well my dogma isn't part of your vocabulary? Honestly if I was a monotheist, I wouldn't except anything else from an Atheist. I'd find it more offensive to see an Atheist fake it!
If I was a monotheist, an I knew you were an Atheist. Isn't it obvious that I know when I pray you are not going too? Do you feel I have the right to be offended because I asked others to pray an you choose to read the newspaper? knowing fully well my dogma isn't part of your vocabulary? Honestly if I was a monotheist, I wouldn't except anything else from an Atheist. I'd find it more offensive to see an Atheist fake it! After years of my ridiculous…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-15:2182797:Comment:21446792013-01-15T22:20:43.762ZJohn Carverhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/JohnCarver
<p>After years of my ridiculous early practice of splitting the difference (bowing my head but keeping my eyes open!), I finally decided to do about what Steph S said, that is, head up, eyes open, glancing around the room, but trying not to appear as if 'sneaking a peak,' so to speak, by staring at persons who are genuinly praying.</p>
<p>After years of my ridiculous early practice of splitting the difference (bowing my head but keeping my eyes open!), I finally decided to do about what Steph S said, that is, head up, eyes open, glancing around the room, but trying not to appear as if 'sneaking a peak,' so to speak, by staring at persons who are genuinly praying.</p> If your acting like your pray…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-15:2182797:Comment:21445032013-01-15T22:07:18.032ZTimhttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Tim347
If your acting like your praying to save face.. Then your simply lying to your own!! I don't believe in God, yet I should succumb to what, social pressure? People say its about respect.. yeah mine or theirs? And by this logic should I kneel an fake pray to the east if a Muslim cleric delivers a prayer from the Koran? Different story now.. Or is it?? last time I checked Atheist don't pray!
If your acting like your praying to save face.. Then your simply lying to your own!! I don't believe in God, yet I should succumb to what, social pressure? People say its about respect.. yeah mine or theirs? And by this logic should I kneel an fake pray to the east if a Muslim cleric delivers a prayer from the Koran? Different story now.. Or is it?? last time I checked Atheist don't pray! Luara,
That's a very nice sto…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-15:2182797:Comment:21445882013-01-15T21:46:54.803ZGreghttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/GregPeyton
<p>Luara,</p>
<p>That's a very nice story. I've had similar feelings in the past, especially in conversations with others that required exposing vulnerabilities and possibly appearing weak. There is something about experiencing empathy and expressing compassion that somehow feels spiritual. I've come to believe this is probably the best part of how we are wired as humans. At the same time, I've also wondered if it played a part in the creation of religions. I'd much rather think this than that…</p>
<p>Luara,</p>
<p>That's a very nice story. I've had similar feelings in the past, especially in conversations with others that required exposing vulnerabilities and possibly appearing weak. There is something about experiencing empathy and expressing compassion that somehow feels spiritual. I've come to believe this is probably the best part of how we are wired as humans. At the same time, I've also wondered if it played a part in the creation of religions. I'd much rather think this than that it was created by opportunists to exploit others.</p>
<p>And so it goes, all my thoughts lead to rambling speculation...</p> I would agree about not getti…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-15:2182797:Comment:21444162013-01-15T21:32:13.371ZGreghttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/GregPeyton
<p>I would agree about not getting grief for not joining in. With my wife it's not hard. She knows where I stand on this, although she has serious disagreement. So far, I've been able to avoid issues with the in-laws. I know a day is coming where it's going to get pretty unconfortable. They're Kansas bible thumpers of the type where every topic of conversation somehow has a connection to god or the bible. Drives me nuts but if I have faith in anything it's that they won't come visit more than…</p>
<p>I would agree about not getting grief for not joining in. With my wife it's not hard. She knows where I stand on this, although she has serious disagreement. So far, I've been able to avoid issues with the in-laws. I know a day is coming where it's going to get pretty unconfortable. They're Kansas bible thumpers of the type where every topic of conversation somehow has a connection to god or the bible. Drives me nuts but if I have faith in anything it's that they won't come visit more than once a year or so. Besides, it's like practicing for the day when they have alzheimers.</p>
<p>As I've mentioned before, we do "thank U's" in our house before dinner so that seems to deflect the issue. We go around the table with everybody expressing their appreciation for something. It could be an act of kindness by one of us, a neighbor or anyone else they know. It could be an appreciation for something as simple as the weather. My son, 7 years old, once thanked the company that made the Skylanders video game. I thought that was somehow appropriate. None of it is religious...that comes in the end, with my wife leading the kids in their catholic type whatnots. I have a lot of practice at appearing respectful. The more I do it, the less I feel my manhood or dignity has been sacrificed. I think it's a sign of personal strength that a person can be firm in their beliefs yet accept others in theirs. Of course that assumes they make no significant demands upon us.</p> I used to go to 12-step meeti…tag:www.atheistnexus.org,2013-01-15:2182797:Comment:21444122013-01-15T21:09:36.193ZLuarahttp://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/Luara
<p>I used to go to 12-step meetings for abuse survivors. The idea is that people share something they need to talk about - their feelings, their struggles - while others listened without comment. </p>
<p>This felt to me - both talking and listening - like a spiritual thing. Like the sharing was about asking for some kind of help and the listening was about giving love - being on the God-end of things. </p>
<p>After the meeting people would continue sharing in conversations with others,…</p>
<p>I used to go to 12-step meetings for abuse survivors. The idea is that people share something they need to talk about - their feelings, their struggles - while others listened without comment. </p>
<p>This felt to me - both talking and listening - like a spiritual thing. Like the sharing was about asking for some kind of help and the listening was about giving love - being on the God-end of things. </p>
<p>After the meeting people would continue sharing in conversations with others, stimulated by what had happened in the meeting. </p>